This morning we relaxed in the summer house. Here David and Tom have been ‘jamming’ with some of the guitars which normally adorn the walls of the summer house while I was making coffee in the background

Up and walked Mix before breakfast. Tom and David arrived. We made final preparations to the Bothy before the concrete is delivered on Thursday morning and, once everything was done, we retired to the summer house for coffee and chocolate biscuits to celebrate David’s sixty-fifth birthday.

Jobs done and Tom returned home. I had planned for us to go up to the Whiteadder reservoir to sail (it was an absolutely glorious day) but things didn’t work out that way. Instead David and I got a jockey-wheel prepared for the sailing trailer and David completed the lighting installation in the Bothy. Now we really are ready for Thursday’s concrete delivery.

Mum had three visitors today -- Christine, Margaret and May -- special friends who worked with her in the long distant days when they were all officials in the Church of Scotland Guild. Today they enjoyed coffee and scones (made by Olive), visited Pearsons for a snack lunch, and had a look at all that was going on here at Mount Pleasant.

Later, I showered and got ready and then at five thirty we all met up in the Granary for a drink to celebrate David’s birthday – Rachel and me, Tom and Dorothy, Mum, Olive, Digger and David. Then it was across to the farmhouse for an excellent birthday meal prepared by Olive, followed by coffee and (naturally seeing it was David’s birthday) chocolate biscuits.

When everyone had left for home I watched a new episode of New Tricks and, later, Newsnight. What a breath of fresh air Evan Davis is. His good humour gets so much more out of his interviews, even when the subject matter is intensely serious. It was the best edition of the programme I have seen for ages (although I thought the lighting and some of the camera shots were not up to standard – perhaps because it was an outside broadcast from the Conservative party conference). Evan Davis asks unusual questions and gets to where he wants to go without hectoring and abuse. I had been wondering about continuing to watch Newsnight but if he is going to be the anchor I will give it another chance.

Apologies that there is no picture of Digger’s new car (as promised yesterday). I got up this morning and went out with my camera but Digger had driven off to Duns for milk. By the time he returned I had forgotten. I will put this right tomorrow.

A snap of us around the table in the farmhouse for David’s birthday meal – from the left: David, Tom, Dorothy, Mum, Olive, Digger and Rachel

You can see the delight on David’s face as he unwraps a present from Tom and Dorothy

The room is in darkness, the cake has been brought in, and David prepares to blow out his birthday candles